Charlestown, Nevis
December 07, 2007
Premier of Nevis and Minister of Tourism Hon. Joseph Parry, received high commendation from a major investor on the island, for what was described as his “wonderful personal support” to a tourism related development project.
The public praise came from Founder of the Newfound Resorts Mr. Brian Dobbing, following a meeting at the Premier’s Bath Plain Office on Friday November 07, 2007.
He also announced that the hotel development project at Pinneys Estate, after a full year of work and two years of investment had progressed considerably and the agreement was ready to be executed.
“We are now ready to execute the agreement that was made in the spring with the government to return land to the people. Mr. Parry has been a wonderful personal support in bringing in hotel brands and hotel investment money for us and working with us. We expect a purchase and sale for the hotel investors to be signed on the project in the next 60 days and hopefully we could break ground this coming year,” he said.
Mr. Dobbin further explained that the design work had progressed significantly and was of the view that in 2008, ground would be broken for the construction of the W Hotel brand retreat.
“The design work has progressed significantly. So in all it has been a successful year although its difficult to tell sometimes when nothing is moving above the ground there has been a lot of work done under the ground and I think in this coming year we will see the W Hotel the new W retreat, the first in the Caribbean to open a five star hotel and the land repatriation to the Nevis government,” he said.
Under the agreement, the Nevis Reformation Party-led NIA had successfully renegotiated for the repatriation of a 172 acres to the Nevis government, from 600 acres of virgin lands from Newfound Developers.
The land had been sold to the Developers by the former Administration to be used for the construction of a new hotel on Pinneys beach which would have consisted of 150 rooms and 400 villas.
Premier Parry had promised during the election campaign, that his party was dissatisfied with the negotiations by the former Administration and they would ensure that the massive sale of land would be renegotiated in the interest of the people of Nevis if he was elected to office.
Mr. Dubbin is expected to meet with Premier Parry on Monday December 10, 2007, at the same venue, with is team which will consist of Mr. John Theophilus the new Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Michael Morton of TDC Group of Companies and Mr. Jeremy White Chairman of Newfound.